The European crane fly (Tipula paludosa) is an enormous insect that is often mistaken for an oversized mosquito. Widespread and instantly recognizable by its clumsy, awkward flight, it has become the subject of many myths — including the idea that it is a “mosquito hawk” that preys on other insects. In reality, adult crane flies do not hunt at all. In fact, during their brief two-week lives, they usually do not eat anything. Most of their lives are spent underground as larvae known as leatherjackets. These tough-skinned, legless grubs resemble eerie grey worms and feed voraciously on the roots of grasses, lawns, and crops. I encountered the European crane fly twice in the same Swedish forest. In 2024, I photographed a female, recognizable by the pointed tip of her abdomen — the ovipositor she uses to lay eggs. Then, in 2025, I had the chance to photograph a male as well, and in following years continued to meet this giant among flies.